MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, the smash-hit musical with productions in Chicago, New York, London, and a national tour to start this fall, announces “Do You Have What It Takes?,” an online casting contest to find musician/singer/actors for the roles of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins. “Do You Have What It Takes?” will launch Tuesday, May 17 at www.MillionDollarQuartetLive.com/casting.

The grand prize winner will receive roundtrip airfare to New York to audition for the MILLION DOLLAR QUARTETteamincluding a representative from Telsey + Co, the show’s casting company. In addition, the winner will receive hotel accommodations at Flatotel, tickets to the Broadway production of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, and other prizes.

Interested parties can submit video files of themselves performing one of the song titles listed on the Million Dollar Quartet original cast recording – smash hit singles include, “Blue Suede Shoes,” “I Walk the Line,”“Great Balls of Fire,” “Hound Dog,” and many more.A full song list from the cast recording can be found on www.MillionDollarQuartetLive.com/casting. Era-inspired clothing is also encouraged for video submissions, but not required.

Voting and video submissions begin May 17, 2011 and end on July 1, 2011. Fans will be able to vote for their favorite video submission. The submission with the most votes at the end of the voting period will win the grand prize package. This winner will be announced on July 5, 2011.

The Chicago production of MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET opened in 2008and is still playing to packed houses at the Apollo Theatre. The Broadway production opened in spring 2010 and received a Tony nomination for Best Musical. A West End production opened winter 2011 to rave reviews and is currently playing at the Noël Coward Theatre in London. An upcoming national tour will launch this October in Cleveland.

On December 4, 1956, an auspicious twist of fate brought Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley together. The place was Sun Records’ storefront studio in Memphis. The man who made it happen was Sam Phillips, the “Father of Rock and Roll,” who discovered them all. The four young musicians united for the only time in their careers for an impromptu recording that has come to be known as one of the greatest rock jam sessions of all time.

Inspired by the actual event, MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET features a treasure trove of the greatest rock and roll, gospel, R&B and country hits from these musicians, including such iconic songs as “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Fever,” “Sixteen Tons,” “Who Do You Love?,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “Riders in the Sky,” “I Walk the Line,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On.” MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET captures the infectious spirit, freewheeling excitement and thrilling sounds of a singular moment when four of the music industry’s most extraordinary talents, all in their creative prime, came together for one of the most memorable nights in music history.

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET won a Tony Award and Outer Critics Circle Award and received Tony nominations for Best Musical and Best Book of a Musical (Colin Escott & Floyd Mutrux), a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Musical Revue and three Drama League nominations including Distinguished Production of a Musical and Distinguished Performance (Lance Guest).

Monday, May 16, 2011

Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' smash hit musical MAMMA MIA!, now celebrating 10 years at Winter Garden Theatre, has launched an interactive Sing-Along video contest and opportunity for fans to sing their way to Broadway to celebrate MAMMA MIA!'s landmark anninversary with the stars.

The 10th Anniversary Sing-Along is an online celebration that captures the "Dancing in the aisles" experience of the smash hit musical while offering a chance for MAMMA MIA!'s fans to unleash their innner "Dancing Queen" by singing MAMMA MIA! songs with leaving their own home!

Contestants may enter by submitting a video of themselves singing a selection from the ABBA hits Mamma Mia!, Dancing Queen or Take a Chance on Me while using a computer webcam, or by uploading the video directly to the website.

Fans may vote for each other or their own video, and the top ten entries will be entered for a chance to win the Grand Prize. Get your friends to vote for you by sharing your entry through Facebook, Twitter and email to increase your chance to win.

On lucky Grand Prize winner will receive two tickets to Broadway's 10th Anniversary performance at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway on October 18, 2011, party passes to meet MAMMA MIA!'s stars at the post show celebration, reoundtrip airfare for two to New York City and hotel accommodations at The Roger Smith Hotel and dinner for two at Brasserie 8 1/2.

On the tenth of each month from May through August, one video submission will be selected at random to win Official MAMMA MIA! merchandise.

Seen by over 45 million people around the world, Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus' global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA!, is celebrating 4,000 performances in its tenth smash hit year at Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre and remains among Broadway's top selling musicals. The current North American Tour has played over 3,600 performances in over 135 cities with 145 repeat visits. The original West End production of MAMMA MIA! is now in its twelth year and has celebrated over 5,000 performances in London and the international tour has visited more than 50 foreign cities and been seen by 3.7 million people. The blockbuster feature film adaptation of MAMMA MIA!, produced by Judy Craymer and Gary Goetzman, is the most successful movie musical of all time grossing $600 million worldwide.

With a worldwide gross of over $2 billion, MAMMA MIA! is acclaimed by the Associated Press as "quite simply, a phenomenon."

Inspired by the story-telling magic of ABBA's timeless songs, writer Catherine Johnson's sunny, funny tale of family and friendship unfolds on a tiny Greek island. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter's quest to discover the identity of her father brings 3 men from her mother's past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago. Songs include "Dancing Queen"; "The Winner Takes It All" and "Take A Chance on Me" are all featured in this feel-good night of fun and laughter.

MAMMA MIA! returns to the Straz Center, July 12-17. Click HERE for tickets!

Straight No Chaser will return to Morsani Hall with a new show - Back to the Shore: Songs of the Decade and More - on Friday, Dec. 23, at 8 p.m. Regularly priced tickets start at $29.50. Buy tickets HERE.